Machine for the manufacture of metal grains



Dec. 14,1948. R MQRANE ET A 2,456,439

Filed March 17, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet '1 &

Dec. 14,1948. R. MORANE ETAL MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF METAL GRAINSFiled March 17, 1945 s Sheet-Sheet 2 KNVENTOR- Dec. 14, 1948. R. MORANEET AL MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF METAL GRAINS Filed March 17, 1945 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 14, 1948 MACHINE pong-r1112 MANUFAGTURE orY. METAL GRAINS toae M-wane Pa and Reser- Mar net,

yillepfnvray, France -S ei 2nLBrbl e L 90. Ar entine Pat nt expi e nu r1 hopper-whence the lead drops flow out andthen metal grains or pelletsof extremely fine nature and particularly grains of non-ferrous metalsor alloys. As distinguished from the method and apparatus for themanufacture of shot described and claimed in our co-pending applicationSer. No.- 582,938 filed March 15, 1945, the present said apparatus hasbeen specially devised to avoid the aforesaid disadvantages, and topermit the quick and automatic production of metal grains or pellets ofwell defined uniform size. Whereas in the co-pending application themetal layer in thecup should be relatively thick, in the presentinvention, on the contrary, the setting of the apparatus must be such asto maintain only a thin layer in the cup.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus as aforesaidwherein the improved result is obtained notably by discharging themolten metal from the melting pot ,in the form of thin streams and bycausing them to reach the perforated bottoms of dividing rotary cups asa thin layer, said cups being subjected to impacts while their rotarymotion is combined with an oscillatory motion of their feeding chutes toensure correct distribution of the-molten metal .over their perforatedor dividing bottoms.

A further object of they invention is to provide, a new machine made upof a minimum number of simple and rugged parts and lending itself to anautomatic actuation whilerequiring a minimum of supervision and labor,said ma chine including a melting pot, a ladle and a plurality-ofmetal-dividing revoluble cupsfed f m he adle and subie edto the act -o aiolt ns;.svst n-v ".With these and such other objects l oiew; as willincidentallyiappear hereafter, the invention compriseson the .one handthe novel features which-characterize the novel structure Of the machineas ..exemplifiedin theaccompanying diagrammatic drawings forming-apartof the present disclosure;

In the drawings:

-'Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the aprpliance" builtvaccording .to the invention and adapted-for themanufacture of of. ieadalloy.

r Fig. 2 isa plan-view thereof.

Fig. 3 isan elevational view showing how-the distributing ladle .-ismounted on a. depressible contrivance.

Fig. A is a sectional view drawnon-a .larger scale showing thedistributing ladle and a cup having-a perforated bottom.

Fig.-'5 is a sectional view drawn on a larger scale showing the valveswhich control the flow .of molten metal from the pot.

As illustrated in the drawings, the appliance :used for the manufactureof grainsH-or pellets madeof alead alloy, for example an alloy of leadand arsenic such as may be utilized for the prograins or pelletsvduction of lead steels i. e. grains of extreme fineness-,-.pri marilycomprises a pet I for melting the alloy, the said potbeing heatedfor-example by a burner :2..or .by'any other means, whether electricallyor otherwise. The pot I- may be fitted withia pyrometer enabling thetemperature of sthe alloy to be constantly observed.

The pot I is-provided' with a double system ofivalves including afirstvalve 3 mounted on a ine second va ve 5 u ded y a m H ion-partly closesthe outlet port It for the has. hile all wing a in re m f a avo; stheretsh- The valve 5 i an trai ed ,v-

redzh hi hrece e n th scre leenerniastnee e va ve. the sa d ro fleein inturn controlled by an electromagnet l2 which is excited under conditionsthat will be hereinafter set forth. This device permits molten metal tobe discharged from the pot at I0, either automatically orintermittently.

When being discharged from the melting pot, the metal is guided througha downtake chute I3 into a regulating ladle ll of suitable capacity;This ladle is heated by any appropriatemcans,

for example by a gas range I5 or by an electric or other heater, to asuitable temperature, for example in the example being considered to 450C.

In contradistinction to what takes place in the manufacture of shot,which manufacture calls cups 25 are internally provided with severalsieves 21 made of perforated sheet metal arranged in superimposition,the perforations being located in staggered relation. Such sieves areheld down on the bottom of each cup 25 by a steel ring or This drivingdisk 28 is made of cast iron and is for an important and regulardelivery, the abovedescribed device permits the regulatingordistributing ladle M to be fed only with a small quantity of lead justas soon as the metal level in the ladle l4 sinks by a small extent,whereby extremely fine metal grains or pellets Without anylargediametergrains can be obtained.

As is shown on Fig. 3, the distributing ladle I4 is mounted on adepressible contrivance l6 which is balanced by a counterweight 11; .Therockingaxes may be mounted on bearings so as to increase thesensitivenessof the depressible carrier. The rod l8 which carries theladlel l has mounted thereon a finger 19 which comes into contact with aswitch 20 connected .by a wire 2lto a source of current S and by a wire22 to the electromagnet l2 which controlsthe valve 5. A further wire 23interconnects the source of current S and the electromagnet l2.Alternatively the return of the current may be ensured by propergrounding.

The counterweight ll corresponds with the weight of the movable assemblyplus the weight of the molten metal. As soon as the ladle I4 is full,the depressible carrier comes into-operation and opens the switch 20,thereby cutting off the exciting current from the electromagnet .I2 andconsequently allowing the valve 5 controlled by the said electromagnetto fall back. As soon as the weight of the ladle l4 diminishes, thecounterweight ll drives it, allowing the said ladle to go up, while thefinger l3 comes into contact with the'switch 20 in the oppositedirection, thereby closing it back and reestablishing. the excitingcurrent through the electromagnet and consequently opening the valve 5.

The ladle I4 is provided at its lower end with one or more nozzles 24,the number ofwhich matches that of the dividing cups 25 arrangedunderneath the ladle 14 (see Figs. 1 and 2), the

said nozzles being preferably made of steel and advantageously havingsuch a conical shape as will permit easy dismantling and accordinglyeasy cleaning thereof (see particularly Fig. 4). These nozzles have ahole made oncaliber through which, during a. time unit, a quantity ofmetal may-flow which exactly correspondswith the delivery of eachdividing cup 25. As the level of molten lead alloy remains practicallyconstant in the ladle l4, due regard being paid to the relation whichprevails between its diameter and its height, the delivery through thenozzles 24 is therefore practically always the same.

Downtake chutes 26 made for example of sheet steel take the molten metalwhich is ejected from the nozzles 24 into the cups 25. Such cups have asuitable diameter, their bottombeing formed with a large number of holes'of' suitable sectional area. "In'order to permit extremely fine metalgrains or pellets being manufactur'ed;-the

provided at its lower end with a shoe 30 formed integral therewith. Thisshoe is guided by a pair of rings 3|, 32 arranged on a jolting table 33to which reference will be made hereafter.

The rings 28 are driven at a suitable speed by means of a pinion 34which is driven in turn by a, speed-reducing gear 35 including a worm.Such reducing gear is housed in a water tight casing which is secured toa part of the machine not subjected to jolts or vibrations.

The reducing gear 35 is controlled by a hollow shaft 36 driven by amotor 37. Such an assembly permits each cup to be rotated at a suitablespeed While imparting to them proper vibratory motion. For the sake ofclarity, it may be mentioned that a universal joint, hidden by theuprights supporting ladle I4,- is inserted between reducing gear 35 andshaft 4!.

Such rotary motion as is imparted to the cups may be combined with anoscillatory motion imparted to the downtake chutes 26, in which case thelatter should be mounted for pivoting inside a hole provided in a planemember 53 of shaft 50. Such a motion is accomplishedby means of a cam 38which is in frictional relation with a roller 39 supported by shaft 50.The downtake chutes are urged back by a return spring 51, when therollers have been driven away through the action of cam 38 on roller 39.Moreover the downtake chutes are heated by means of a gas range 40,thereby preventing the molten alloy from cooling while it flows. Cams 38may be secured to cups 25 by welding or other suitable means or may bemachined integrally thereon.

It will be seen that, owing to the described device, only a very smallquantity of molten metal can be supported by the bottom of each cup 25,the said metal being perfectly distributed over the whole area.Moreover, owing to the automatic inflow of metal such as hereinbeforedescribed, the feed is caused to correspond with the delivery of eachcup. Even delivery for each 25 is thereby ensured which prevents theformation of such numerous Wastes as might arise from an unduly large oruneven feed.

As there is but a very small quantity of molten metal on the bottom ofeach cup 25, it is necessary, in order to allow proper flow of the metalthrough the holes in each cup, and consequently to give the ensuinggrains or pellets extreme fineness, that all the cups should besubjected to jolts or impacts of suitable rapidity and proper extent. Tothat effect, the several cups are mounted on a common frame 33 which maybe for example pivoted at M to the machine frame and which hasvibrations imparted thereto by means of a rotarycarn 42 operated forexample by means of the electric motor 3'! which controls the revolutionof the cups or alternatively by any other suitable electrical,mechanical or pneumatic means. This cam may be mounted on rollerbearings. The movable assembly 33 is first lifted by this cam and thenfalls upon wedges 43 the height of which may be adjusted, thispermitting the amplitude of the jolts or impacts being regulated.

Considering the small delivery of the cups 25, they are heated (forexample to 450 C. in the example being considered) by a gas range 64 orby any other equivalent means.

The drops of molten alloy which flow through the perforated bottom ofthe cups fall from an appropriate height, are cooled into solid form andare collected in a receiving container 45 made of sheet metal andaccommodated in a pit, the said container being filled with water forcompleting the cooling of the metal grains. The whole assemblycomprising the distributing ladle M and the cups 25 also the joltingsystem may revolve about an axis 46 (see particularly Fig. 2) the framecarrier comprising castors 47, 47' which can roll on correspondingrunways 48, 48'. This permits the receiving container 45 to be takenaway at any suitable time or at the end of the day by means of anysuitable form of tackle or by any other method and the manufacturedproduct to be laid into the chute leading for example to a dryingapparatus.

It will be understood from the foregoing that, owing to the hereinbeforedescribed organization and manufacturing process, it is possible tomanufacture such extremely fine metal grains or pellets as will besuitable for several uses and particularly to the production of leadsteels.

Obviously the invention is not limited to this use and the apparatuswhich has just been described may be used with advantage for themanufacture of miscellaneous metal grains or pellets made from metals oralloys of different categories.

It is also obvious that the hereinbefore described apparatus as shown inthe drawings was given merely by way of example and that modificationsmight be introduced into its constructional details without departingfrom the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for manufacturing metal grains and particularly grainsof non-ferrous metals or alloys, comprising a pot of molten metal, ametal-distributing ladle, a conduit provided at said pot for feedingsaid ladle, rotatable cups with sieve bottoms for dividing said metalinto grain, said ladle having detachable nozzles the openings of whichare calibrated to the openings in the cups to give uniform dischargefrom the cups, each nozzle having a chute for feeding said cups; a drivefor imparting to said cups a rotational motion at uniform speed andjolts at certain intervals of time and means for adjusting the extent ofthe jolts.

2. An apparatus for manufacturing metal grains and particularly grainsof non-ferrous metal or alloys, comprising a pot for molten metal, ametal distributing ladle, a conduit provided at said pot for feedingsaid ladle, rotatable cups with sieve bottoms for dividing said metalinto grain, said ladle having nozzles and a chute for each nozzle forfeeding said cups; said ladle and said cups carried by a structuralunit; said unit also carrying means for heating said chutes and saidladle, a drive likewise carried on said structural unit for imparting tosaid cups a rotational motion at uniform speed and an oscillatory motionto said chutes, and means con- 6 nected to said drive for impartingjolts to said cups at certain intervals of time with means for adjustingthe extent of the jolts.

3. The combination with an apparatus for manufacturing metal grains andparticularly grains of non-ferrous metal or alloys comprising a pot formolten metal, a metal distributing ladle, a conduit provided at said potfor feeding said ladle, an assembly of cups with sieve bottoms fordividing said metal into grain, said ladle having nozzles and a chutefor each nozzle for feeding said cups and driving means for imparting tosaid cups a rotational motion at uniform speed and an oscillatory motionto said chutes, of a frame common to and supporting said cup assembly,cam means adapted to be driven by said drive and to impart impacts tosaid frame and cup assembly, and means for regulating the extent of saidimpacts.

4. An apparatus for manufacturing metal grains and particularly grainsof non-ferrous metals or alloys, comprising a pot for molten metal, ametal-distributing ladle, a conduit provided at said pot for feedingsaid ladle, rotatable cups with sieve bottoms for dividing said metalinto grain, said ladle having nozzles and a chute for each nozzle forfeeding said cups, said conduit having associated therewith a set ofdouble valves for controlling the passage through said conduit, said setconsisting of a primary valve adapted to permit a rapid closing of saidconduit, and a secondary valve adapted to throttle said passage of theconduit to let the metal flow in a thin stream.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein a depressiblecounterweighed carrier is provided supporting said ladle, furthermoreswitch means operable responsive to the depression of said carrier withsaid ladle and adapted to control said secondary valve.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said secondary valve isprovided with an electromagnet and adapted to be operated thereby, andwherein a depressible counterweighed carrier is provided supporting saidladle, furthermore switch means operable responsive to the depression ofsaid carrier with ladle and adapted to control said electromagnet.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said structural unitcaries a depressible counterweighed carrier supporting said ladlefurthermore switch means operable responsive to the depression of saidcarrier with ladle; said conduit having passage controlling meansassociated with said switch means and adapted to be controlled thereby.

ROGER MORANE. ROGER MARTINE'I.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 194,271 Shiver Aug. 14, 1877228,481 Shiver June 8, 1880 253,764 Reddy Feb. 14, 1882 826,099 GilmanJuly 17, 1906 857,756 Reddy June 25, 1907 1,647,194 Poindexter Nov. 1,1927 1,762,693 Linebarger June 10, 1930 1,866,682 Temmen July 12, 19322,224,424 Bullock Dec. 10, 1940 2,287,029 Dowdell June 23, 1942

